This investigation attempts to answer ‘How effective was Charlemagne as a leader?’ The question is relevant and important because it’s important in understanding French and European history. The issues that will be addressed is basic background of him as a leader, his religious impacts, his political structure, his battles, and how he expanded his empire. This investigation will focus on Charlemagne’s rule from 768–814 CE and the places focused on in this investigation is the Kingdom of the Franks during Charlemagne’s rule. This will be accomplished through a thorough examination of many sources, including The Age of Charlemagne by Donald Bullough and CHARLEMAGNE. A. D. 742-814. REVIVAL OF WESTERN EMPIRE by John Lord. Within these sources, …show more content…
In the days of Charlemagne, the clergy wielded great power, and their ordinances and decisions were directed to society as it was . Charlemagne recognized the value of the spiritual courts and helped them. He had no quarrels with priests or members of the clergy, nor did he hold any jealousy towards the power they had. He allied himself with them. He became a good friend of the clergy’s , which was a clever move as a ruler. Charlemagne was an active participant in the Lombard Wars. The Franks, under an earlier king, Pepin the Short, had battled the Lombards in defense of the Pope in the years 754-756, forcing the Lombards to give up land to both the Frankish kingdom and to the rule of the Pope. The lands claimed by the Pope became the basis for the Papal States. The Lombard King, who at the time was Desiderius, wanted those lands back, angering Charlemagne, who was married to the daughter of King Desiderius. Charlemagne sent his wife back home to her father, the King, and then invaded Lombardy, conquering the Lombard lands, and declaring himself the new King of Lombardy. By doing so, he developed an even stronger relationship with the Pope, creating a religious stability within his empire, thus supporting the fact that he was an effective